Defense takes night off Wednesday in NBA

The NBA has 12 days remaining in the regular season. On Wednesday, a number of defenses took the night off early.

Six different teams scored 130 points across the NBA landscape on Wednesday, with the Philadelphia 76ers scoring 153 and the Boston Celtics putting up 53 points in the first quarter on the way to a 147-129 win over the Miami Heat. There weren't a lot of strong defensive efforts on a night where offenses dominated.

Short-handed teams still lit up the scoreboard on Wednesday

What made the night's offensive fireworks more impressive is that so many teams were short on players. The New York Knicks had 130 points despite the absence of leading scorer Jalen Brunson. The 76ers' 153-point effort came with Joel Embiid sitting, though Paul George continued his hot streak with 39 points.

The Indiana Pacers won 145-126 over the Chicago Bulls with three starters out, thanks to rookie Ethan Thompson's career-high 24 points. Though they've been tanking most of the season, the Pacers have won two straight games while scoring a combined 280 points.

That may be a result of the team finally feeling secure in a bottom-4 finish that would protect their first-round pick. It's also a testament to Pascal Siakam's excellent season for a Pacers team decimated by injuries. Siakam scored 25 points and dished five assists in just 22 minutes on Wednesday, part of a season where he's averaging 23.8 PPG.